Gutters are commonly employed to receive rain water and other moisture from the roof tops of commercial or residential buildings and direct said moisture to a downspout which is adapted to lead the moisture from the gutter to a sewer system or other type of moisture disposed network.
Gutters, being generally U-shaped, open-topped members, accumulate leaves, twigs and other wind-blown debris therein. The accumulation of debris in the flow channel formed by the walls of the U-shaped gutter members can interfere with or altogether block the flow of moisture to the downspout, which results in water spilling over the sides of the gutters. The owner of the building therefore confronts a periodic maintenance chore in which he climbs atop the roof of the building to remove the obstructing debris from the channel in order to restore water flow therein and prevent water from overflowing the sides of the gutters.
In an attempt to provide a solution to the problem of removing debris which has accumulated in gutter systems, it is known, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,841,100 and 3,977,135, to place screen-type members over the open-topped gutters. However, such prior screen-type systems dispose of the accumulated debris by tilting or pivoting the screen-type members along the entire longitudinal length of the gutters. Although this does accomplish the removal of debris, it is an awkward procedure which dumps debris from the entire longitudinal length of the roof line, on the ground, thereby still leaving the homeowner or custodian with a time-consuming and effort-exerting clean-up operation.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide an anti-clogging and debris removal device which maintains gutters free from the flow obstructing effects of leaves, twigs and other debris without otherwise burdening the homeowner or custodian.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an anti-clogging and debris removal device which includes a movable, mesh-like conveyor belt covering the open, top end of the gutter and which is adapted to transport debris longitudinally toward one end of the gutter for collection and removal.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention.